The present invention generally relates to wristbands, and specifically to wristband tags that are attached to a wristband straps and provide a surface for imprinting indicia.
Wristbands are commonly used as a means for identifying an individual. For example, wristbands can be used to identify individuals that are authorized to be in a certain location (e.g., at a concert or a park) or to consume certain food or beverages (e.g., at a party), such as alcoholic beverages. Wristbands are commonly of a certain color or imprinted pattern to facilitate visual identification at a distance.
Wristbands are also commonly used as a means for identifying specific individuals. For example, in a hospital, it is important to identify patients by name or other characteristics to insure that the patient is obtaining the appropriate medical care. Wristbands are commonly used in hospitals to identify a patient by name, date of birth, or other information.
In order to facilitate the addition of information to a wristband (e.g., in a hospital setting), wristbands have been designed to pass through a printer so that the user's information can be entered into a computer and then easily printed on the wristband. These wristbands can be provided to the printer on a roll, with each wristband being connected to an adjacent wristband at a perforated edge.
In order to increase the surface area of a wristband that receives information, it is known to use wristband tags that can be coupled to a wristband strap. For example, published U.S. Patent Application 2006/0242875 discloses a wristband tag that is wider than a typical wristband and includes slots through which a wristband strap can be threaded. The tags are formed on a carrier (e.g., a strip or roll) that can be fed through a printer. The tags can be defined by a perforation cut around the periphery of the tag, which facilitates separating the tags from a border. A wristband strap can then be threaded through the slots of the tag and secured to the user's wrist. The entire contents of published U.S. Patent Application 2006/0242875 is hereby incorporated by reference.